It’s tradition in these parts to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving pulling out the boxes of red ribbons, shiny balls, garland, nativities, and candles.
An exceptional amount of candles. I’m mildly obsessed with the candles, as anyone who has ever been to my home could tell you. Sometime I’ll count them up and let you know how many flickering flames I typically have going on any given evening.
On second thought, I probably won’t do that. I might be reported to the fire department code people, and we all know I don’t want that to happen.
(For multiple reasons, come to think about it… BUT I digress.)
(Hey, sometimes it’s better to joke about the hard stuff, because laughing is better than crying. Personal coping skills and all that.)
So, all this tradition would explain the stockings hung near the chimney with care, the lights on the eaves of the house (we’re big-colored-bulb-on-the-edges-of-the-roof kind of people), the fancy nativity scene gracing the top of our piano and the plastic version on a shelf near the carpet, the frosty glass bowl filled with green foiled candy (which would also explain why I just set up a few sessions with my personal trainer throughout the holiday season–I’m a fan of accountability), AND the big plans to go hike through the snowy woods to chop down a tree later this week.
(Just kidding on that tree chopping bit. Also, the snowy woods thing. We did that once and I’m kinda smitten with the experience. We call it imagination.)
But the best part–the VERY BEST PART–of the whole Christmas decorating thing is the music. Oh, Christmas music, how I love you. I wait and wait and wait for that glorious Friday in November when it is officially Christmas Music Time, even though all the stores and half the homes in America tune in weeks earlier, because, after all, my middle name is Tradition. (Or Tevye… take your pick.)
And then, the sweet reward: the sweet notes of Andy Williams singing “White Christmas” filling the air the morning after Thanksgiving, signalling the start of the Christmas season.
It is all so wonderful, if slightly (highly) melodramatic.
I think I’m even more obsessed with the Christmas music than I am with the candles. Being that I have no fewer than 13 candles ready for burning in my not-too-large downstairs and will probably have them all lit at once by tomorrow afternoon, that’s really saying something.
I turn on the “Christmas Music” category in our gargantuan disc changer in the morning and let it play all. day. long. I have my favorites and my not-so-favorites and can sometimes send my mind into a tizzy when I start trying to determine which is the Absolute Best Christmas CD In The World. Surely it’s Andy Williams. Surely. Although I’m rather in love with Josh Groban’s CD and Harry Connick, Jr. (mostly because, well, Justin Matisse, you are amazing). But I really, really, REALLY adore Diamond Rio’s contribution and my newest favorite, Casting Crowns’ Peace On Earth, is adding quite the challenge to this competition. But how does one choose?
I just don’t know, people.
So I don’t choose. I listen to them all. Every. Single. Day. For a month.
So in light of all this decorating and music and trees and such, I’d like to know several things:
1) When you put your decorations up,
2) your all time favorite Christmas CD, and,
3) have you ever chopped down your own Christmas tree in the woods?
4) BONUS… because I asked it on Twitter and Facebook and I figured I might as well keep all my social media outlets consistent… What is the best Christmas movie of all time?
Now if you’ll please excuse me while I got blow out a few candles. Only fifty this time instead of the usual three hundred.
Lauren says:
1) When you put your decorations up? Anywhere from the day after Thanksgiving to the week before Christmas. Usually we are traveling so much or moving that it usually happens the week before Christmas. :D
2) Your all time favorite Christmas CD?
Time’s Collection of Christmas Classics.
3) have you ever chopped down your own Christmas tree in the woods? Yes, and we had to tie it up with fishing line so it would stand somewhat straight…need I say more?
4) What is the best Christmas movie of all time? The Christmas Card or Christmas in Connecticut.
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November 30th, 2009 at 5:42 am
LeAnna says:
Decor was up and mostly finished the two days after T-giving.
I love Mariah Carey’s Christmas CD, but I heard a Shane and Shane Christmas song on the radio, and I’m buying their Christmas CD as soon as I can get myself to the Christian book store (where it’s on sale for $5!)
Never chopped down my own tree- we don’t much care for the real ones (I know!)
Don’t ever apologize for being a lover of candles. I’m convinced we candle fanatics have more fun in life… ;) Just think of all the exercise our lungs get…
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November 30th, 2009 at 5:52 am
LeAnna says:
Yes, we have chopped down a Christmas tree in the woods. The old fashioned Christmas trees are fun! I too am a lover of candles and Christmas music. I have to confess that I started listening to it a bit early… I just love to savor everything about Christmas and it tends to go way too fast!
My favorites for Christmas music are… Josh Groban, Point of Grace, Michael W Smith… and actually the list could go on and on.:) But, those are my favorites!
I also usually put my decorations up the week of Thanksgiving… I like the Christmas/Thanksgiving feel…. I like to have everything ready… and again savor it!
My favorite Christmas movies would have to be Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life… and Little Women (the newer one)… not terribly Christmasy, but I love to watch it about that time.:)
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November 30th, 2009 at 6:28 am
Elizabeth says:
1)After Thanksgiving, but no real set date. This is the first Christmas my husband and I have been married, and we’re thinking about getting our tree next weekend.
2) Andrew Peterson’s “Behold the Lamb of God.” EXCELLENT music that tells the entire story of Christmas.
3) Not in the woods…just on a tree farm. But I do have friends who have gone and chopped off just the *top* of a tree in the woods for their Christmas tree. Does that count for anything?
4) I’m partial to A Charlie Brown Christmas, but I don’t think I’m a very fair judge as I either haven’t seen or don’t remember seeing many Christmas movies.
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November 30th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Alexandra says:
1. We put the decorations up the last week of October (yeah, we’re early birds ;-))
2. Favorite Christmas CD…um…The Majesty and Glory of Christmas. And the Time Life Treasury of Christmas.
3. A tree farm, oh, yes. But never actually in the woods. That sounds so fun!
4. Ok. I’m a Christmas movie junkie. Like one of those watch every Christmas movie on the planet kind. But if I narrowed it down…it would be a toss-up between A Christmas Carol (the Alastair Sim version, although I adore the Muppets) and It’s a Wonderful Life.
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November 30th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Miriam says:
1. I always *want* to put up decorations right after Thanksgiving, but usually our hectic schedule doesn’t allow time until just a week or two before Christmas.
2. Favorite CD–I have so many too! Right now, one called “A Piano Christmas” from Shopko (not sure who played it!).
3. The 3 Christmases we have been married, we’ve lived in the mountains, so my husband cut a tree out in the “woods”! And I loved it! The only thing I didn’t like is we couldn’t go with him to pick it out, since he had to snowmobile about 30 miles to find a good one. And when he goes an average of 100 mph, it’s not an option for me to ride along! :-) I’m not sure what we’ll do this year, since we’re living in town.
4. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is my all-time favorite Christmas movie. I also like the old version of “Miracle on 34th Street”, though it is a little corny!
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November 30th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Tammy L says:
I don’t know if it’s an all-time favorite, but we recently discovered this CD “The Word Became Flesh” with songs and Scriptures (you can listen to song samples on Amazon.com here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Word-Became-Flesh/dp/B002RX5WHE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1259620616&sr=8-5) and we all love it! :)
I love that it has beautiful music interspersed with Scriptures… Yehoshua loves song #7 especially! :)
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November 30th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
April says:
1) We USED to put our Christmas decorations up the first Monday in December, since pastor’s families always (ha!) have Mondays off. Now we do it whenever we happen to have time. This year, the only time we’re all home is Sunday afternoons, so yesterday, our decorations went up.
2) “Evening in December” by First Call. My mom got the cassette tape for Christmas around when I was two, and we always used to play it on the Monday evening after we set up our decorations. It is the music that signals “Christmas is here” in my subconscious. ;-) (Although I pretty much cry every time I hear it nowadays…heh…)
3) Easy question…nope. I don’t even like going to the store to pick out a pre-cut live tree, much less tramp through the icy woods arguing about which one is good. I like to stay out of the tree-picking discussion altogether (mainly because if I had it my way, we wouldn’t blow $40-$80 every December on something that is going to drop needles everywhere for me to vacuum up, and get tossed out to the trash man come January…)
4) I already answered this on FB, but because I just love to read my own writing over and over (kinda like people who like to talk just to hear their own voice, ya know?), I will say it again…the one Christmas movie I can watch every year and not get bored with is “The Muppet Christmas Carol.” I DO like to watch “White Christmas” just to sing the sister song and snicker with my own sister. Hehehehe…
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November 30th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Melanie says:
Justin Matisse, lol. I loved when he was on Will and Grace, too. Not Justin. Harry. Anyway.
1. Sometime in early December. Havne’t had the engergy yet this year, but we JUST moved and unpacked stuff. Not so anxious to pull out more boxes…
2. “A Very Ally Christmas” from the Ally McBeal show. Seriously. A strong second – Barry Manilow.
3. I have not. I am a fan of the fake tree.
4. Elf. (lol – wow, am I deep or what?) Ok, maybe it’s not the best of all time, but it is a favorite. Oh and the “you’ll shoot your eye out” one too.
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November 30th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Melanie says:
PS – I meant to say…can we be facebook friends? But I don’t know your last name.
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November 30th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Elizabeth in Alaska says:
1) Usually within the first two weeks of December. My birthday (the 12th) is a favorite day to drag out the decorations.
2) I am really, really bad about choosing favorites. Probably because my favorites change so often, depending on my mood. Maggie Sansone’s “Ancient Noels” (Celtic) is one I can listen to over and over. Oh, and Raffi’s Christmas Album. ;)
3) You would think, living in Alaska and having access to all kinds of snowy woods, that we would have, but so far it hasn’t happened. And this year we aren’t even doing a tree– *gasp*. We’re getting a nice wreath instead, since Mr. Finley is at that age that likes to pull things over on himself.
4) Again, favorites… but I guess I’ll go with “It’s a Wonderful Life”. :)
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November 30th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Holly Hochstetler says:
We have our Christmas decorating done within the week after Thanksgiving.
Favorite Christmas cd? I don’t have a favorite…too many to choose form! So, like you, I play’em all!
We have chopped down our own tree in the woods! It was an awesome experience!
The all time best Christmas movie EVER– WHITE CHRISTMAS !!!!!
My 5yr. old daughter took on my love for that movie when she was 3.5 or so and that is our favorite holiday tradition. We snuggle under some warm soft blankies and curl up with one another and watch and sing….we have all of the songs memorized! And we watch it at least a dozen times between Thanksgiving and Christmas!
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November 30th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Sarah says:
Cutting down a tree…yes well. When I was much younger we had friends who lived on a farm near us and they offered for us to go and cut down a Christmas tree. So off we went one very hot day (this is New Zealand) to look for a tree. We only had a tiny axe and when we had settled on a rather awful lanky not at all traditional tree (as there was nothing else on their rather treeless farm) we started the process of cutting it down. After more than 30 minutes of everyone taking turns and getting dreadfully hot, we had our tree. And what a dreadful specimen it was. Words fail me. Then…and this is the tragic part…on the drive back home what did we see growing on the side of the road but a gorgeous perfectly shaped pine tree. Not wanting to believe the truth we stopped to have a closer look. Then without further ado we drove back home (quite a way) to get an axe (bigger this time) and came back and got it. Needless to say when our friends came to visit a few days later it was rather awkward! And that is the only time we have ever cut our own tree. =)
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December 1st, 2009 at 2:09 am
Becky K. says:
We sooo love Josh Groban’s Christmas CD and Michael W. Smith’s.
Awesome!
I have a thing for candles too, but making them more than burning them!
Becky K.
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December 1st, 2009 at 3:34 am
bessie.viola says:
Oh, I knew we were kindred spirits!
1) When you put your decorations up? The day after Thanksgiving, of course! Without fail. It’s a tradition we started the first year we were married.
2) your all time favorite Christmas CD? City on a Hill – It’s Christmas Time. Although I also LOVE the Frank Sinatra one, and Josh Groban, and Clay Aiken… Oh, it’s HARD to choose!
3) have you ever chopped down your own Christmas tree in the woods? Nope. This is actually the first year we got a live tree, but it was pre-cut.
4) BONUS… because I asked it on Twitter and Facebook and I figured I might as well keep all my social media outlets consistent… What is the best Christmas movie of all time? Hmmm…. I love, love, LOVE Elf. We watch that and Christmas Vacation every year as we put up the tree. But I also love the classics: Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! and Rudolph… all those you’d see on tv during the holidays when you were little.
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December 1st, 2009 at 7:51 am
Kirsten C. says:
We just put up our Christmas decorations today, though sometime the weekend after Thanksgiving is more traditional for us.
Yay for candles! I have a bunch of tea lights across the top of my dresser, along with a cranberry one that is the definition of Christmas smell to me – we always had one when I was little. :)
Favorite CDs are hard, since I’m so picky and usually only like maybe half the songs on any one CD. Amy Grant’s Home for Christmas is probably closest.
Never cut down a real tree…only had a real tree a few times, due to allergies. I’m a big fan of pre-lit ones…though I could happily string lights, garland, and ornaments everywhere else and skip the tree. :)
Best Christmas movie? The Christmas Card, The Preacher’s Wife, Charlie Brown…are the first to come to mind.
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December 1st, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Rachel says:
The tree is usually up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year, it’s not up yet because we traveled 40 hours R/T in a car to visit the in laws with two little boys in the back seat and I still haven’t recovered.
Favorite Christmas cd – Christmas Portrait by the Carpenters.
I have not chopped down a tree, but my sweet husband of less than one year at the time chopped down our first tree, then proceeded to chop down another tree for two rather elderly ladies that were struggling with theirs. Not sure why they were attempting to do so, but my heart swelled with pride for my knight in shining armor. We (he) have not chopped any down since then, but he did go stand in line at 4:30 am on a Black Friday to get our current, prelit, artificial tree :o)
Best Christmas movie? tie between It’s A Wonderful Life and Charlie Brown.
I love candles and I enjoy your blog :o)
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December 1st, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Christine S. says:
We don’t get the Christmas decorations out at any set time. First we have to get a tree (which never occurs with any sort of regularity)…and YES, it is ALWAYS from the snowy woods. :) The only bum part of getting them from the snowy woods is that a tree looks 10x as beautiful and romantically Christmasy with the light frosty dusting all over. But, alas, once having departed from the snowy woods… the charming frosty effect vanishes without a trace. ):
I cannot name a favorite Christmas CD….mainly because we have a bad habit of not investing in music which is only played one month out of the year. I have a soft spot for our *old* “Come on Ring Those Bells” cassette by “Evie,” partially because I’ve heard it all my life. Pure sentimentality. I did hear a Christmas song on Pandora the other day which ran something like: “Jingle bells, Shotgun shells, Hats and boots and hay….” I wish I could have pressed the “like” button a dozen times! :)
As for movies…. “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Obviously. :) As a matter of opinion, “Miracle on 24th Street,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “The Christmas Story,” etc., have NO chance against a B&W classic starring Jimmy Stewart. :)
I love your writings… even though I, like, never comment. :) Y’all have a merry sort of Christmas this year. :)
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December 1st, 2009 at 10:40 pm
merissa says:
1)Whenever it snows or at least begins to feel like Christmas
2)Michael W Smith’s Christmastime (Peace on Earth is a pretty close 2nd though =)
3)Nope
4) It’s a Wonderful Life
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December 3rd, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Ginger says:
1. We usually put up our Christmas decorations the first or second week of December but our tree we put up a few days before Christmas.
2.Christmas Album right now is The Hoppers Great Joy (I believe that’s the name.)
3. Last year my sister Carole and brother Aaron and my dad chopped down a tree in our yard.
4. Fave Christmas movie Jingle All The Way
Also I wanted to tell you I am having a Christmas give away over at my blog!!
Ginger~
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December 4th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Jen says:
I second the recommendation of Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God. It is simply excellent.
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December 7th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Elizabeth says:
Update: we went into the woods to cut our tree this year, and that was an experience. Nothing quite like climbing ridges and bushwacking in search of the perfect tree…
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December 16th, 2009 at 6:35 pm